Percussion instrument

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a percussion instrument of the type consisting of a box composed of four walls ( 1 ) forming the outline, on which a top ( 2 ) rests, the lateral end walls ( 3 - 4 ) having a rectangular profile, the front ( 5 ) and rear ( 6 ) faces having a convex profile ( 7 ) in their lower part whilst in their upper part on which the top rests they follow a line which is firstly rectilinear ( 8 ), then continued by a concave part ( 9 ), which is itself continued by a rectilinear or very slightly convex part ( 10 ), such that the box is divided into three zones: a deep zone ( 8 ) for producing bass sounds, continued by a shallower median part ( 9 ) for producing middle register sounds, said median part itself being continued in such a way as to form a chamber ( 10 ) which is slightly deeper than the median part for producing high pitched sounds, the chamber ( 10 ) producing the high pitched sounds being provided with a snare ( 17 ) lying against the top.

The invention relates to a percussion instrument. Instruments of thesame family are the cajón from Peru and the Boombakini from theDominican Republic.

The cajón consists of a parallelepipedal wooden box with a hole at theback. This instrument stands directly on the ground with the musiciansitting on it. The cajón is provided with a snare system formed of oneor more metal wires. These metal wires are fixed to upper and lowerparts of the box, crossing the latter and pressing against the strikingsurface. This wire may be straight or in a more expensive cajón it maytake the form of a spiral.

The drawback of the cajón is that it has a limited range of sounds owingto its parallelepipedal shape. Furthermore, whichever part is struck,the snare vibrates. The cajón is not very comfortable to use because themusician strikes at a low level, which may cause back pain.

The Boombakini is a wooden instrument of a particular shape. It consistsof a bottomless box. This box is composed of four faces forming theoutline, on which a top rests. The lateral end walls have a rectangularprofile. The front and rear faces have a convex profile in their lowerpart whilst in their upper part they follow a line which is firstlyrectilinear, then continued by a concave part, which is itself continuedby a rectilinear or very slightly convex part. The box may thus bedivided into three zones: a deep zone for producing bass sounds,continued by a shallower median part for producing middle registersounds, said median part itself being continued in such a way as to forma chamber which is slightly deeper than the median part for producinghigh pitched sounds. A soundhole is arranged in the front face of thebox. Although the Boombakini has a wider range of tones than the cajón,it has the drawback of having no snare. The bass sounds are dry and notround like those of a bass drum. Likewise the slap sound located at theslender high part cannot compare with a snare drum.

The device according to the invention makes it possible to remedy thedrawbacks mentioned above.

Taking its inspiration from the shape of the Boombakini, a snare systemhas been added using two ferrous wires in the form of stretched-outsprings which cross one another. This system is fixed in the slender,high pitched zone, on either side of the width thereof, and cross in themiddle. This crossed system makes it possible to aim for the point onthe striking surface where the impact will activate the snare. Thesewires are fixed so as to touch the cover of the box where it is struckand stay lying thereagainst. In this way, when the player strikes thedeep part of the instrument to produce a low sound, the snare does notvibrate.

The deeper part then emits a sound similar to the bass drum and theslender part will emit a sound similar to the snare drum with vibrationof the snare. To give intensity and body to the sounds, a bottom wasarranged over the entire lower part of the underside, closing theinstrument entirely.

This bottom comprises one to two holes depending on the desired basscompression. This bottom is fixed to the box with the assistance of aplurality of reinforcements on the frame parts in the interior thereof.The entire box is made of wood.

The invention will in any event be better understood from the remainderof the description below and the appended figures.

FIG. 1 shows an overall view of a cajón

FIG. 2 shows an overall view of a Boombakini

FIG. 3 shows an overall view of the invention to which the presentpatent relates

FIG. 4 shows the arrangement of the crossed stretched-out spring wires(snare) with fastening points

FIG. 5 shows the arrangement of the reinforcements inside the box

FIG. 6 shows the cover where the player strikes

FIG. 7 shows the bottom with soundholes.

As shown in FIG. 1, a cajón consists of a parallelepipedal wooden box(1) provided with a hole (2) in the back. This instrument standsdirectly on the ground with the musician sitting on it. The cajón isprovided with a snare system formed of one or more metal wires (3). Theupper part of these metal wires is fixed to the top of the front face(4) and the lower part in the middle (5) of the edge of said front facesuch that they cross over the latter while pressing against the strikingsurface. This wire may be straight or in a more expensive cajón it maytake the form of a spiral.

As shown in FIG. 2, a Boombakini consists of a bottomless box. This boxis composed of four faces (6, 7 and 8) forming the outline, on which atop (9) rests. The lateral end walls (7 and 8) have a rectangularprofile. The front (10) and rear (11) have a convex profile (12) intheir lower part whilst in their upper part they follow a line which isfirstly rectilinear (13), then continued by a concave part (14), whichis itself continued by a rectilinear or very slightly convex part (15).The box may thus be divided into three zones: a deep zone (13) forproducing bass sounds, continued by a shallower median part (14) forproducing middle register sounds, said median part itself beingcontinued in such a way as to form a chamber (15) which is slightlydeeper than the median part for producing high pitched sounds. Asoundhole (16) is arranged in the front face of the box.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the instrument to which the present patentrelates takes its inspiration from the shape of the Boombakini. A snarehas been added which consists of two metal wires (17) in the form ofstretched-out springs which cross one another. This snare is fixed inthe slender high pitched zone. This crossed snare makes it possible toaim for the point on the striking surface where the impact will activatethe snare. These wires in the form of springs are fixed on the one handto the end wall (18) closing the chamber (19) and on the other hand tothe front and rear faces at the entry to the chamber (19) such that theytouch the top of the box where it is struck and stay lying against saidtop. In this way, when the player strikes on the deep part of theinstrument to produce a low sound, the snare does not vibrate. Thedeeper part then emits a sound similar to the bass drum and the slenderpart will emit a sound similar to the snare drum with vibration of thesnare. To give intensity and body to the sounds, a bottom (20) has beenarranged over the entire lower part of the underside, closing theinstrument entirely. This bottom comprises one to two soundholes (21)depending on the desired bass compression. This bottom is fixed to thebox with the assistance of a plurality of reinforcements (22) on theperipheral frame parts in the interior thereof. The entire box is madeof wood.

1. A percussion instrument, comprising: a box composed of four wallsforming the outline, on which a top rests, the lateral end walls havinga rectangular profile, the front and rear faces having a convex profilein their lower part whilst in their upper part on which the top reststhey follow a line which is firstly rectilinear, then continued by aconcave part, which is itself continued by a rectilinear or veryslightly convex part, such that the box is divided into three zones: adeep zone for producing bass sounds, continued by a shallower medianpart for producing middle register sounds, said median part itself beingcontinued in such a way as to form a chamber which is slightly deeperthan the median part for producing high pitched sounds, said chamberproducing the high pitched sounds being provided with a snare lyingagainst the top.
 2. A musical instrument according to claim 1, whereinthe snare comprises two crossed metal wires and, said wires being fixedon the one hand to the end wall closing the chamber and on the otherhand to the front and rear faces at the entry to the chamber.
 3. Amusical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the snare comprises twocrossed metal springs and, said springs being fixed on the one hand tothe end wall closing the chamber and on the other hand to the front andrear faces at the entry to the chamber.
 4. A musical instrumentaccording to claim 1, wherein a bottom rests, in the lower part ofconvex profile of the front and rear faces, on reinforcements arrangedaround the internal periphery of the frame.
 5. A musical instrumentaccording to claim 3, wherein the bottom is provided with soundholes.